The idea of the penny key tag came from Norm Snyder, manufacturer of Zippo's

product displays in the 1960s.  Snyder coined the now ubiquitous Zippo catch phrase

"the cent never spent to repair a Zippo lighter"

and began manufacturing the penny key tags to symbolize our lifetime guarantee.

Advertising Director Jack McCutcheon and Mr. Blaisdell were huge fans of the idea.

The tradition, which serves as a reminder of Blaisdell's dedication to his product,

continues today with 75,000 tags made and distributed in 2003.

Beginning in 1979, the Backus Company in Smethport produced the medallion

portion of the key tags, which are assembled here at Zippo.

More than 600,000 key tags have been made since Backus took over the operation.

Even the inscription

and its design on the

medallion portion of

the key tags changed

through the years.